1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector used for connecting wires or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various electronic equipments are mounted on an automobile that serves as a moving body. Therefore, wire harnesses for transmitting electric power, control signals, etc., to the electronic equipments are installed on the automobile. The electronic equipment and the wire harness are provided respectively with connectors, and are connected together through their connectors fitted together.
Each connector comprises a connector housing, and metal terminals received within the connector housing. When the two connectors are fitted together, the metal terminals in one connector housing are electrically connected respectively to the metal terminals in the other connector housing.
As the above-mentioned connector, there has been proposed, for example, the type of connector comprising a male type connector housing (hereinafter referred to as “male housing”), a female type connector housing (hereinafter referred to as “female housing”) for fitting to the male housing, a holder for releasably receiving the female housing, a clamp mounted on the holder so as to mount this holder on a mounting member (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
The male housing includes a terminal receiving portion for receiving male metal terminals, and a tubular hood portion extending from the terminal receiving portion. The female housing includes a body portion for receiving female metal terminals, and a tubular portion formed around the body portion in spaced relation thereto. The body portion and the tubular portion are interconnected at their end portions remote from the male housing.
The holder is formed into a tubular shape, and one longitudinal end of the holder is open for the insertion of the male housing therethrough, and the other end is closed by a mounting wall for mounting on the mounting member. An engagement hole in which the clamp can be engaged is formed through the mounting wall. The holder has an opening formed in that portion of its peripheral wall disposed adjacent to the mounting wall, and the female housing is inserted into the holder through this opening, and is received within the holder.
The clamp is made of a synthetic resin having elasticity. The clamp is engaged in the engagement hole formed in the mounting wall of the holder, and is thus mounted on the holder. The holder is displaceably mounted on the mounting member through the clamp mounted on the holder.
In the connector of the above construction, when the male housing is inserted into the holder, the clamp is elastically deformed, and therefore the holder is displaced relative to the mounting member, so that the center axis of the female housing within the holder is rendered parallel to the center axis of the male housing, that is, the female housing and the male housing are aligned with each other. Then, the hood portion of the male housing is inserted into a space between the tubular portion and the body portion of the female housing, and also the body portion of the female housing is received in the hood portion of the male housing, and thus the male housing and the female housing are fitted together. In the above connector, the female and male housings can thus be smoothly fitted together by the holder and the clamp.
Patent Literature 1: JP-A-2003-323941
In the above conventional connector, however, the female housing and the male housing are aligned with each other by the holder and the clamp, and therefore there have been encountered problems that the number of the component parts tend to increase and that the connector becomes large in size.